Mission College San Bruno Chamber of Commerce Discussion Paper Please read the Team Project Instructions, only need to write Paragraph 2 and 3, “Introducti

Mission College San Bruno Chamber of Commerce Discussion Paper Please read the Team Project Instructions, only need to write Paragraph 2 and 3, “Introduction” and “Presentation of the organization”.The presentation Slide and interview questions have provided some answers. Write about 300-400 words for each paragraph. TEAM PROJECT (15 POINTS)
General Instructions
Your team should identify a public, private, or non-profit organization to study. Your team will
gather information from at least one person in the chosen organization through one or more
interviews. You must supplement this information with data from the media, white papers,
publications, reports, or other secondary sources. You should identify a relatively recent problem
to analyze (i.e., this should not be an historical account of a problem and the company’s
solution). You should focus your analysis by applying the concepts from this course. Your goal
is to diagnose the mechanisms that are causing the problem or issue of concern in the
organization. Initially, you may notice many symptoms (for instance, high turnover, seemingly
low morale, low motivation etc.), but your task is to get to the underlying reason for these
symptoms.
Questions to be Discussed in the Paper
More specifically, your team should write a short paper (max 10 pages) to answer the following
questions:
1. What are the issues or problems facing the organization?
2. What course concepts can be applied to understand why this problem is occurring?
3. What recommendations can you offer to help improve organizational functioning?
Before sending your paper to me, you will present your analysis in class (on Zoom) on April 27
or 29 and receive feedback that you will be able to incorporate in the paper to improve your
analysis.
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Some Notes on Interviews and Secondary Data Sources
Before conducting your interview/s, please consider the following tips.
1. As a team, create an interview guide, i.e. a set of open-ended questions.
2. Select the right person/people to talk to, i.e. your informant/s.
3. Contact the informants and choose with each of them the proper time for the interview
and media, e.g. videoconference or telephone1. Interview one person at a time, if
possible. Note that NOT every team member needs to be present during a interview!
4. Take notes when you do the interview and transcribe them into a file to share with your
team members. If your informant allows it, you can record the interview and transcribe it
‘verbatim’, i.e. word by word. This is what qualitative researchers in social science do.
Read here for more tips: https://www.qsrinternational.com/nvivo/nvivo-community/the-nvivoblog/are-you-really-listening-tips-for-conducting-qual .
You should look for more information about the organization and the specific issue you are
focusing on by analyzing ‘secondary sources’, i.e. documents such as white papers, publications,
reports, web-pages, articles in newspapers that you find publicly available or that your
informant/s provide you with.
Content and Structure of the Paper
The paper should be organized with the following structure:
1. Abstract (around half a page). The abstract summarizes the entire paper and its main
takeaways. The abstract of your paper should a) introduce the aim of the paper; b) present
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As a general practice, it is better to conduct interviews face to face, but during these unusual times it is not possible
and safe.
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the organization and the problem that you discovered; c) anticipate the main solution you
have identified.
2. Introduction. In the introduction explain how you got in contact with the organization
and how you collected data about it (e.g. how many interviews, which secondary sources
you used). Briefly summarize how the rest of the paper is organized and its contents.
3. Presentation of the Organization. Write a section where you present the organization
under study, providing details such as the industry, the size, the main product/services it
offers, how it is structured.
4. Presentation of the Main Issues. Write a section where you describe the main problem/s
that you have identified. For instance, you could talk about issues related to motivation,
group dynamics, leadership, communication, job satisfaction. Make explicit reference to
the data you have collected from interviews and other sources. You can use quotes from
what your informants told you, but do not use their names. For instance, you could write:
When we interviewed an employee of the organization, whose role was project
leader of for the new sustainability initiative, he told us:
‘It is very difficult to take care of sustainability programs, when the rest of
the organization does not really care for it. It is frustrating to go and talk
to people, when they are busy with other things, with their everyday tasks.
The members of my team are extremely unhappy for the limited attention
they receive and feel it is too difficult to do their job. They all want to
leave the team.’
5. Analysis of the Main Issues. Use the theories and concepts of Organizational Behavior,
applied to the specific features of the company, to analyze the causes of the identified
issues. For instance, in the example above, there is a problem of low individual and team
satisfaction, that is caused by specific job conditions, that you should further detail and
analyze. If you think it is more effective, you can combine sections 4 and 5.
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6. Proposed Solutions. Write a section where you propose solutions to the identified issues.
When you detail your solutions, please specify how your solutions address the points
outlined in your analysis.
7. Conclusion. Finally, in a conclusion (around 10 lines) wrap up your take-away points for
your reader. Here, you may also present the significance of your case. Why is this
valuable? Are there ideas that could be transferred to other contexts?
Feel free to change the titles of the sections. You can make use of tables and figures, if they help
in making your arguments clearer. Always cite your figures and tables in the text of the paper.
When writing the paper, be careful of not plagiarizing the work of others or your own work.
Please check this brief video and the associated resources:
https://libguides.sjsu.edu/plagiarism/home-page
Format
The main body of the paper should be max 10 pages (Letter). Use line spacing 2, Times New
Roman 12, and 1 inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides. You can use this file as a template.
Write your paper in a clear, concise, and professional style. Use the checklist at the end of this
file for minimum writing rules. Please add a cover page that includes a title for your paper, your
team number, and the names of all team members. Check here for more suggestions on
formatting:
http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/docs/handouts/APA%20Formatting%20Guidelines.pdf
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References
When you use references from the literature or from any other sources (e.g., other articles, the
web), please cite them in the main body of the paper and list them in a final ‘References’ section
(that can exceed the 10 pages mentioned above). Follow APA style directions for citation and
references. Please check here for more information:
https://content.bridgepointeducation.com/curriculum/file/fb0c31c7-e508-4a16-9d89d3021a0d7af4/1/APA%20References%20Guide.pdf
Writing Support
Did you know that SJSU has an AMAZING writing support center, dedicated to your writing
success? You can access their online resources (for instance, to better understand what the APA
style is) or you can schedule an appointment. Check here for more information:
http://www.sjsu.edu/writingcenter/
Evaluation Criteria for the Team Project (13 Points)
The team project will be evaluated on the following dimensions:
Content: Is the organization presented with enough details to allow a reader to understand the
rest of the paper? Has the team collected enough evidence (i.e. did the team perform at least one
interview and analyze documents)? How well are the issue/s described and linked with the
specific evidence collected? – 5 Points
Application of the theories and concepts of Organizational Behavior to the specific case: Are
theories adequately referred to? Are they clearly applied to the specific case? Are the solutions
appropriate? Do they follow from the analysis? – 4 Points
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Paper structure and clarity of writing: Are the arguments presented clearly, concisely and
convincingly? Has the team followed the checklist at the end of this file? – 2 Points
Oral Presentation in class: Was the oral presentation clear and effective? Was the team able to
respect the assigned time for presentation? – 2 Points
Peer Evaluation (2 Points)
As you finish your project (by May 4), you will be required to complete an ONLINE peer
evaluation survey. Each group member will be asked to evaluate the other team members on
CATME using multiple items on a scale from 1 to 5. The individual evaluation each member
receives will account for 2 points. In particular, you will get:
–
2 points if you scored above 4;
–
1.5 points if you scored above 3 (up to 4, included);
–
1 point if you scored above 2 (up to 3, included);
–
0.5 points if you scored above 1 (up to 2, included);
–
0 otherwise. Please note that no contribution to the group will result in the student
receiving a zero for the entire assignment.
Due Date
Please upload the paper on Canvas by 5/4 (midnight). If you have problems accessing Canvas,
please send it to me by email. Please name your file using your team number.
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Student Checklist
Minimum Writing Rules
Style:
1. Thoughts should flow between sentences and between paragraphs.
2. Be concise. If one word can replace three words, then use one word.
Examples:
• due to the fact that –because
• prepare an analysis –analyze
• it should be noted that –(omit)
• in order to –to
3. The average sentence should be about 15 words long (few should exceed 20).
4. Use simple words
Examples:
• utilize –use
• discontinue –stop
• endeavor –try
5. Use active voice (i.e., limit your use of variations of to be and have).
6. Avoid jargon, slang, and cliches.
7. Avoid beginning a sentence with a pronoun as the subject (Ex.: It was blue?).
8. Avoid using contractions; spell out the words.
Grammar:
9. Always run spell/grammar check.
10. It refers to a thing, while they refers to humans. A company is a thing, so do not use the
pronoun they when referring to a company—the proper pronoun is it.
11. Its is possessive, while it’s means it is.
12. This should not be used as a noun. Instead, use this as an adjective or adverb (i.e.,
improper use would be— this leads to confusion’’— this what?).
13. A singular antecedent (such as a manager) requires a singular pronoun (such as he or
she).
14. Use the proper homophone (word with different spelling and meaning, but same
pronunciation).
Examples:
• their, there, they’re
• to, too, two
• principle, principal
• insure, ensure
15. Check for subject-verb agreement.
16. Use complete sentences (i.e., must have both a subject and a verb).
Matherly, M. and L. Burney. 2009. Using Peer-Reviewed Writing in the Accounting Curriculum:
A Teaching Note, Issues in Accounting Education 24 (3): 393-413.
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Team Project: Preliminary
Analysis
San Bruno Chamber of Commerce
? A non-profit organization.
? To encourage the growth of existing businesses and enhance the economic growth
? Give proper assistance and helpful resources to new firm or individual seeking to
locate in San Bruno
? Support activities that are beneficial to the community and area.
? Hold events for the members of the community (i.e. mixers, community outreach, and
promote businesses)
Interviewee – Pcyeta Stroud
? She is the interim CEO of the chamber
Main issues we have identified so far
? Hard to please everyone
? Everyone has different mode of function and drive
? Volunteer workers
? Hard to take control when volunteers are in charge of tasks
? Communication among the team
? Board of directors coming from different background
? Email communication vs. in person communication
? Competition with other Chambers in
Organizational Behaviour Concepts
? Problem: Hard to Please Everyone
? Chapter 3 – Attitudes and Job Satisfaction
? Chapter 5 – Personality and Values
? Chapter 6 – Perception and Decision Making
? Problem: Finding/Retaining Volunteers
? Chapter 7 – Motivation Concepts
? Problem: Communication
? Chapter 11 – Communication
Possible Solutions
? Some ways increase volunteer
participation are by encouraging a
sense of community and being
flexible.
? Another way to increase volunteer
retention is by understanding the
volunteers motivations.
? Some ways to increase internal
communication is by keeping an
open dialogue where employees are
up to date on company plans,
changes or progress.
? One way to increase internal
communications is by Planing
External Events.
? Create opportunities for employees
to meet outside of the office. Plan a
holiday party or a happy hour after
work.
? This also gives employees
something to look forward to, which
can facilitate improved engagement
and stronger communication.
Future directions
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
?
Revising our presentation after getting feedback from the professor and classmates
Dividing the work for the paper
Deciding on when the first and final drafts should be done
Starting to work on the paper
Proofreading
Fixing any grammatical errors and discussing how to improve the paper if need be
Completing the final draft on time
Submitting the final draft when every member agrees to do so
1. What does your organization focus on?
2. What have you done as a supervisor during the pandemic, and how was your
communication affected during the pandemic?
3. How do you think about your team members (skills, performance, professionalism)
4. How large is your organization and who are the organization consists of
5. What’s the main product/services in your organization?
6. What issues have you encountered as a team leader? (Are you satisfied with your job?)
7. How large is your industry and do you have a lot of competitors
8. How do you motivate people to stay in your organization
9. Why do you think a team of people may not work well together?
10. Why should employees seek to improve their knowledge and skill base? How would you
motivate them to do so?
11. When making a decision to fire an employee, do you find it easy because of the
company’s needs OR difficult because of the employee’s needs?
12. Organization and time management are essential when supervising others. Give specific
examples of large projects or assignments you have been given and then explain how you
went about prioritizing and organizing the task completion through your staff.
Issue: volunteer work, communicate with emails and hard to convey messages, getting
information out on time
Board members- event on Halloween in the evening or during the day-business mixer
Family time v.s business
Always about the outcome, nice time, network
Strategy by motivation: everyone is motivated by different things but the information can be
informed through other ways-flexible times/caring what a good job they did or not at all
People are different and have a different skillset
Supervisors job to figure out what goals might be
Goals are what pull people together
Professional development is important and some people might not want to
Employees have to feel valued
Difficult across the board as a business decision
It’s hard to avoid that they are a person but it’s necessary because you’re trying to accomplish
goals
Who are you and what does your organization
smccd in skyline, ?sb chamber of commerce?, board pres and ceo
Pcyeta Stroud
2
Got a notice in mid march, work from home shelter in place. Asap let the board know that next
meeting not happening in person, checked if everyone has zoom, reached
out with newsletter that chamber of commerce virtual, let everyone to calm down.
3
Really talented group of people on chamber and board of directors. Wide range of skills work
together. Everyone has a different thing to bring to the table, some people
She wouldn’t be friends with some of the workers but still works with them
4
Promotion for all of the businesses in San Bruno, and community engagement, promoted small
businesses. Hold events for members of the community.
5
6
Hard to please everyone all the time. Figuring out what you can do in compromises, when and
where to make the compromises
Operations: communication miscommunication, hard to please everyone, last oct mixer, debate
which day to have it, between Halloween, best outcome, people to network
Survey when’s the best day or time, compromises in the interest of the objective.
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In competition with online social media and other chambers of commerce.
8 How to motivate to stay in your Organization
Work hard to find what people motivated by, what motivates me doesn’t motivates the other,
more flexible time, hearing what a good job they did.
9
People are different, different skill sets, different ideas of what you want to bring to the table,
supervisors job to figure out how to make it work together, if you care about
The end goal, then u can make it work.
10
Professional development is essential, learn how to do different things, learn how to do
something different
11
Difficult across the board, business Decision, hard to ignore it’s a person, but at times it’s
necessary for the sake of the Organization
12
Break up assignment, organized depending on skill, faster people on higher priorities. Task based
on skills

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